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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Exercise for Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Hand

About this resource:

Systematic Review

Source: The Cochrane Collaborative

Last Reviewed: July 2018

Workgroups: Arthritis Workgroup

In this Cochrane systemic review, the Cochrane Collaborative found uncertain evidence to support the clinical benefits of hand exercise for adults with rheumatoid arthritis. The review included studies that compared hand exercise to non-exercise therapies. Researchers found improvements in hand function, pain, and grip and pinch strength with hand exercise, but were unsure if this equates to useful clinical benefits. They found that hand exercise may be safe without adverse effects. 

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Objectives related to this resource (1)

Reduce the proportion of adults with arthritis who have moderate or severe joint pain — A‑01
Little or no detectable change

Suggested Citation

1.

Williams, M. A., Srikesavan, C., Heine, P. J., Bruce, J., Brosseau, L., Hoxey-Thomas, N., & Lamb, S. E. (2018). Exercise for rheumatoid arthritis of the hand. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2019 (7). DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003832.pub3